There's a long standing argument that the book/manga is always better than the animated/live action adaptation. More often than not, the adpated version is often presented in a condensed form (Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy for example), and proponents of the book/manga will argue that relevant, even necessary, parts of the story are left out, and that the overall story is somehow "spoiled" because of this.
It's interesting then that Nodame Cantabile is one of the few manga on which people generally agree that watching the anime or live action adaptations only serves to enhance the story.
The manga, created by Ninomiya Tomoko in
...
2001, has become one of the most well known romantic comedies in manga, andthe anime and live action adaptations have proven to be extremely popular with fans from all walks of life.
So what is it that makes Nodame Cantabile "different" from other shoujo or josei (it's been categorised as both at one time or another), romantic comedies?
The story follows the lives of Noda Megumi (Nodame), and Chiaki Shinichi, two music students who attend the Momogaoka College of Music. The two meet by accident and Nodame quickly falls in love, however the pair are as different as chalk and cheese in almost every respect.
One of the things that attracts many people is the maturity of the series. This is no twinkly teenage romance, but a more mature, if somewhat off-the-wall, tale of finding one's place in the world. The humour, whilst being decidedly offbeat, also has a realism that is missing from other rom-coms. The same thing also applies to the plot as well, especially the manner in which the characters develop over the course of the series.
Nodame, being the main driver for much of the comedy, is a truly unique character, and her relationship with Chiaki often develops both of them in some surprising and unexpected ways. At times childlike, combative, moody, but with a determination and talent that is sometimes inspiring, she should be the ideal match for Chiaki, however she's also lazy, messy, tends not to wash for days, can't cook, finds it easy to lie, and an otaku.
Chiaki, on the other hand, represents the "straight man" in this comedy duo. He looks after himself and is talented, well educated, good looking, a good cook, likes cleanliness and tidiness, and has a strong sense of responsibility. It's ultimately his sense of responsibility that proves to be his downfall though, especially where Nodame is concerned, and it's interesting to see how Nodame's influence changes his perception of the people around him.
The sometimes odd relationship between the two forms the core of the story and is the driving force behind many of their thoughts and actions. Chiaki's propriety and Nodame's "gyabo-ness" create some interesting situations for the two to overcome, especially as they both become more well known in the world of classical music over time. It also sets the tone of the series as even though there is a serious element running through the story, this is very much a lighthearted affair.
Aside from Nodame and Chiaki, there are a fair number of supporting characters that, more often than not, have a direct hand in how Nodame and Chiaki's relationship proceeds (although admittedly it may not seem that way at first). A nice thing to see is that Ninomiya has refused to go with stock one-dimensional characters and, especially during later chapters, manages to give the supporting cast a bit more "soul". The deviations from the main story may, at first, seem like fillers when in truth they are actually efforts at fleshing out one or more characters. Come the end of the series it's nice to see that a fair number of the characters show at least some development.
One thing that I've mentioned already is the sense of realism about the series, and it may surprise many to know that the character of Nodame is actually based on a real person called Noda Megumi. Ninomiya was inspired to write a comedy about a sloppy music student after Noda posted an image of her messy room onto asite that Ninomiya managed. Noda, who is now a piano teacher in Fukuoka (which is also Nodame's hometown), has been consulted extensively throughout the series, and wrote much of the thematic music for the anime. In addition, she co-wrote (with Ninomiya), the lyrics for Nodame's notorious "Fart Song".
As with any long running manga, it's easy to see how Ninomiya's drawing style has progressed over the years. At first she tried to take a slightly more detailed approach to the character design, however she adopts a more simplistic, yet highly expressive, style later on which, in all honesty, is one of the things that makesthe series great. Ninomiya's ability to visualise facial expressions, and to switch between detail sketch and simplistic cartoon, can sometimes confuse people, but once the reader is caught up in the story, everything just seems to work.
That said, this isn't the most well drawn series that I have read, however context is everything here. In terms of manga as a medium it is only average, however in terms of comedy manga it works extremely well.
This is a highly enjoyable series that brought back memories of my stint at university. Students are the same no matter where they are, after all. The developing relationship between Chiaki and Nodame is a joy to behold, especially given Nodame's "quirky" personality. The many realistic threads that runs through this manga, from the character inspirations to the classical music itself, all serve to add a depth to the story that is both remarkable and unusual.
If you thought classical music and comedy didn't mix, then prepare to be proven wrong.
 Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Nodame Cantabile: Encore Opera-hen, Nodame Cantabile Backstage Japanese: のだめカンタービレ More titlesInformationType: Manga
Volumes: 25
Chapters: 150
Status: Finished
Published: Jul 10, 2001 to Aug 25, 2010
Demographic:
Josei
Serialization:
Kiss Authors:
Ninomiya, Tomoko (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #2052 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #654
Members: 27,541
Favorites: 884 Resources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 14 / 14
Sort
Your Feelings Categories 
Oct 12, 2009
There's a long standing argument that the book/manga is always better than the animated/live action adaptation. More often than not, the adpated version is often presented in a condensed form (Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy for example), and proponents of the book/manga will argue that relevant, even necessary, parts of the story are left out, and that the overall story is somehow "spoiled" because of this.
It's interesting then that Nodame Cantabile is one of the few manga on which people generally agree that watching the anime or live action adaptations only serves to enhance the story. The manga, created by Ninomiya Tomoko in ... 
Apr 24, 2008
As a former student of music I found this to be an absolutley fantastic read. The story is realistic and has a good feel to it. The characters in multidimensional and engaging and the understanding of music and musical terms is very good.
I would reccomend also listeing to the nodame cantabile CDs in accompanyment to reading the manga, it makes it a much more enriching and enjoyable experience. The only downside to this is that tje romantic development is very slow, though it does not fall into any of the typical shoujo manga cliches. 
Oct 11, 2007
What can I say?! I loved the animated Nodame, so why can't I not love the manga?
Although I started reading at chapter 50 or something, which is where the animation left off, I'd still say it's worth the read. I don't know though if you'd love reading the manga when you haven't watched the animation first because you may never appreciate the music behind each story. But there are NC fans out there that started with the manga rather than with the animation, so I can't say much. Storywise, it is a good read. If you liked how the story went through the animation, ... 
Nov 20, 2015
Three words are enough to introduce Nodame Cantabile: lovely, passionate, and inspiring.
This beautiful musical rom-com manga follows the life of the arrogant musical genius Chiaki Shinichi as he weaves through the music conservatory he is enrolled in. A bump in the road caused him to meet Noda Megumi or “Nodame” and this energetic weirdo just nonchalantly drags him into many life-changing moments he will never experience if ever they didn’t meet. You may ask “why would I even dare to read a musical manga?” Of course this already has one excellent anime adaptation and two sequels to it, so it is wise to just go for ... 
Apr 18, 2017
I have years reading mangas and watching anime and this is the first time in my life I got the needing of doing a Review.
I'm a musician, being the piano my principal instrument. This is the first time I see something like this: The use of the pieces, the descriptions, the use of terminology that would make even non-musician enjoy classical music. Really loveable. The characters' personality is incredible! It is one of the funniest manga I've read in my life. The art is incredible! I'm a graphic designer and I cannot think of another thing but a masterpiece! I mean! is incredible how such ... 
May 7, 2008
What should I say... it´s 4:30 in the morning and I really can´t stop reading it!
While reading this story, I´m listening to the songs that make part on the manga/anime/drama as well... is just wonderfull. It´s wonderfull to think that a manga can transport us to different places, cultures, interests. A while ago, this kind of music was nothing but boring songs to me, and in some few episodes, it turned out to produce such great feelings, capted in every note. I always prefer wachting things first and then read the real story, because we can sense the original idea and ... 
Apr 26, 2012
I absolutely LOVED this manga!!!! I should have read it a long time ago, as a huge fan of the live-action. Chiaki manages to be even MORE dreamy in the manga (despite Hiroshi Tamaki playing him in the live-action) and Nodame is definitely less annoying and even really cute in the manga. And their relationship is just so adorable. Aww. Side characters are also excellent and memorable, especially the R-S Oke members and Stresseman.
It also expands on so much more than the live-action did (understandably) with many volumes taking place in Europe and Chiaki/Nodame's adventures there. ... 
Mar 22, 2012
Ah, Nodame Cantabile. I'm a big fan of yours. The anime really got me hooked up-- from the first season, second, til the finale. It was really breathtaking. So I tried to give the manga a chance.
Story: 10 I'm not gonna talk about the story though, it's completely stunning, because the manga and the anime is just the same. The story is unbelievably realistic, and as the story goes on, it doesn't forget about the main topic, which is music. To me, this is undeniably the best music-themed series ever. The story doesn't lack of musical knowledge, instead we're offered so many musics, in this case, ...
Dec 29, 2008
I would like to share my opinion on the plots that the author laid down for the up coming development of the story.
The most interesting thing of reading a story is to make a guess of the development of the story base on the characters' personal growth and change in the story and by observing the author's intended and unintended hints. I am happy to see that the author allows Nodame to grow and change. The story began when Nodame was just 20 and the story continues to evolve and now Nodame is 23 years old. She travelled from Japan to France to ... 
Mar 10, 2012
I was in high school when I first read this manga. A friend let me borrow it, saying that it was hilarious. I was a little wary of the cover art, as it didn't look like an art style I would be comfortable with. However, I was instantly hooked and the art didn't bother me. It is now several years later and the manga and its "encore" special are finished in Japan. I've followed it from beginning to end!
At first glance, this seems like a typical romantic comedy but taking place in the somewhat unusual setting of a music college. As time progresses, it starts ... 
May 19, 2008
Having been brought up with a musical background stories concerning music has always sorta drawn on me; and though the artwork did not strike me as my cuppa tea i picked up vol 1 off the bookshelf just to read the story.
It was then i realised i was totally hook. Chiaki's "ouji-sama" status in school was quite predictable, as with most shoujo-targetted stories, but what was really good was the way they weave classical music into the tale, and Nodame was one helluva refreshing character, an out of the world attitude, very unlike the usual plain-janes or pretty girls category. Despite having portrayed Chiaki or ... 
Jan 2, 2010
This was like one of the best manga i ever read. Mostly because at first i didn't think that was gonna be this great. My expatations were very low but this manga surprised me a lot.
Nodame and Chiaki are very real. they are not like some shhoujo character, all the thing they do, or say, match with what regular ppl would do, and that made me fall in love with this manga. I'd like to read some other manga like this one. o/ 
Aug 15, 2022
Art: bad. Especially in the first volumes, the characters are more crudely sketched than drawn, there's very little detail.
Story: so and so. Too long and with way too many panels dedicated to people playing music and fascinated audiences. Characters: mixed. The two main characters are well described, and a few secondary characters are good. I hated the group of opportunist students (especially the despicable, stingy Chinese pianist) sponging off the protagonist. Apart from these, there are so many secondary characters, that most aren't described in any depth. Enjoyment: not bad at the start, but as the manga dragged way too long, felt relieved when it ended This is ... 
Aug 21, 2023
There isn't much to say honestly, just read it.
Great pacing to a timely ending-- a story that can be goofy and cute just like its titular heroine Nodame, and mature and rational just like its male lead Chiaki. Side characters never go to waste and just like the waves of life they come and go out of our heros' lives, and its always pleasant to see them back whenever they return, if they return. Comedy slaps hard, particularly the first dozen chapters have some absolute bangers that I can quote from memory-- however, few gags do overstay their welcome. That's fine though, I forgive u ... |
